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Thursday, 02 September 2010
Tony Johnstone celebrates victory at Woburn (Getty Images)
By Nick Totten from Woburn
Defending champion Tony Johnstone returns to one of his favourite venues this week in search of the inspiration that will turn round a disappointing season so far.
The Zimbabwean is currently languishing outside the top forty on the Order of Merit and will hope Woburn’s Dukes course, one of his favourite on the circuit, will be just the ticket as he looks to finish 2010 with a flourish.
Speaking immediately after the Pro-Am having reacquainted himself with the course, he said: “It’s always nice to be defending champion and especially when you are returning to a great course. I have always loved it here ever since I first played it.”
Johnstone will hope such good vibrations will help him overcome the putting woes that have plagued his season so far, seeing him register a mere two top ten finishes in 2010.
He said: “I’ve had a truly miserable season and I’m finally feeling like it is all coming together. I’ve been fine putting from inside six feet, just struggling on those birdie putts of fifteen feet or so.”
Johnstone’s form on the greens hit a real low in Scotland at the Senior British Open and Cleveland Golf / Srixon Scottish Senior Open but since then he feels he has been able to turn it around.
He said: “I really struggled in Scotland putting on fast greens in the wind. But since then I have worked really hard for three weeks and I feel good this week. I’m even hitting the ball nicely too.”
It was an emotional victory last year for Johnstone, and he says the key to his form round this course is that it is one of the few on Tour to suit his shape.
He said: “From the first tee the course really suits my eye as it is one of the few on Tour that lends itself to hitting it from left to right. In fact I’d say only five per cent of the courses in the world suit a fade.”
So by all accounts you can look for Tony to put up another cracking showing in defence of his title. He loves the course, he’s been working hard and it is one of the few in the world to suit a fade – so everything points to a dogged defence of the title he won in such style last year.
He said: “I don’t want to set expectations too high – that would be dangerous – but I feel really good this week. Hopefully this will be the start of a strong finish to the season and see me climb the ranking.”
Taking the first step in his return to form, Johnstone put in a very strong finish in Tursday's pro-am finishing second, suggesting he could be right to predict a potentially successful defence this week.
Johnstone will also have some illustrious company for the first two rounds, paired with last year’s Order of Merit winner Sam Torrance and the most recent visitor to the winner’s circle Barry Lane, so look for fireworks from that trio come Friday morning.
Defending champion Tony Johnstone returns to one of his favourite venues this week in search of the inspiration that will turn round a disappointing season so far.
The Zimbabwean is currently languishing outside the top forty on the Order of Merit and will hope Woburn’s Dukes course, one of his favourite on the circuit, will be just the ticket as he looks to finish 2010 with a flourish.
Speaking immediately after the Pro-Am having reacquainted himself with the course, he said: “It’s always nice to be defending champion and especially when you are returning to a great course. I have always loved it here ever since I first played it.”
Johnstone will hope such good vibrations will help him overcome the putting woes that have plagued his season so far, seeing him register a mere two top ten finishes in 2010.
He said: “I’ve had a truly miserable season and I’m finally feeling like it is all coming together. I’ve been fine putting from inside six feet, just struggling on those birdie putts of fifteen feet or so.”
Johnstone’s form on the greens hit a real low in Scotland at the Senior British Open and Cleveland Golf / Srixon Scottish Senior Open but since then he feels he has been able to turn it around.
He said: “I really struggled in Scotland putting on fast greens in the wind. But since then I have worked really hard for three weeks and I feel good this week. I’m even hitting the ball nicely too.”
It was an emotional victory last year for Johnstone, and he says the key to his form round this course is that it is one of the few on Tour to suit his shape.
He said: “From the first tee the course really suits my eye as it is one of the few on Tour that lends itself to hitting it from left to right. In fact I’d say only five per cent of the courses in the world suit a fade.”
So by all accounts you can look for Tony to put up another cracking showing in defence of his title. He loves the course, he’s been working hard and it is one of the few in the world to suit a fade – so everything points to a dogged defence of the title he won in such style last year.
He said: “I don’t want to set expectations too high – that would be dangerous – but I feel really good this week. Hopefully this will be the start of a strong finish to the season and see me climb the ranking.”
Taking the first step in his return to form, Johnstone put in a very strong finish in Tursday's pro-am finishing second, suggesting he could be right to predict a potentially successful defence this week.
Johnstone will also have some illustrious company for the first two rounds, paired with last year’s Order of Merit winner Sam Torrance and the most recent visitor to the winner’s circle Barry Lane, so look for fireworks from that trio come Friday morning.
